Cities in Dust
by Prime627
Summary: Optimus is forced to watch something very precious to him explode while listening to the rantings of a former brother kept on his knees in front of his throne. (I do not own the song)
1. Cities in Dust

_Water was running, children were running_

 _You were running out of time_

 _Under the mountain, a golden fountain_

 _Were you praying at the Lares shrine?_

Optimus swayed, coughing and gagging softly. He had been attacked, forced into the ground by Shockwave, his _former_ friend. The word _former_ carved deeper in his spark than he expected it would have and he glanced at the mech. What had he _done_ to him?

Shockwave stood off to the side, his single optic glaring at Optimus. One servo was curled into a fist, the other was a gun. It was impossible to tell what the mech was feeling, even when he spoke. "I have brought him to you, Megatron, the mech you requested."

Optimus flinched and looked at the throne he was set in front of. Megatron smirked down at him.

"How does it feel, librarian? How does it feel knowing that you are the cause of all of this."

Images flew in front of Optimus' optics, holograms of bots exploding, his friends dying in his arms, his friends crying out in agony when a Decepticon offlined them...it was all his fault.

Optimus remained silent, which proved to be better and would probably allow him to live a little longer. Megatron was in no mood. He was peeved at...something.

A blue energy surged up from the floor, wrapping around Optimus' wrists and keeping the mech pinned on his knees with no escape. He looked up at Megatron, who began to croon as he walked down the steps towards the prisoner:

 _But ohh, oh your city lies in dust, my friend_

 _Ohh, oh, your city lies in dust, my friend_

Optimus shuddered and closed his optics, looking away when he felt claws on his cheek, claws caressing his battlemask. He forced his body to stop quivering, to stop betraying his fear. Megatron laughed at him, raising his servo. Optimus expected a slap, and he got one.

The back of the mech's servo struck his face, making his helm twist to the left so fast Optimus saw blurred images of Starscream and Soundwave watching until his optics refocused. He dared to look at Megatron.

The warlord stared at him expectantly, half wanting the Prime to cry and half begging the mech to growl, but the Prime did neither. He just watched him with curious optics. Those optics were always curious. Curiosity killed the cyber-cat and curiosity slaughtered Megatronus and gave way to the phoenix-rebirth of Megatron. Curiosity also landed him a nemesis, a _librarian_ of all mechs! Megatron laughed suddenly, making every bystander in the room flinch save Shockwave, who was surprised by nothing. Not anymore.

"He is not to be refueled," he growled. "Not while he stays with us." He began to sing again, making his way back up to his throne. Optimus squinted and saw familiar Autobot chassis and faces forming the warlord's throne. He kept staring.

Megatron kept singing:

 _We found you hiding, we found you lying_

 _Choking on the dirt and sand_

 _Your former glories and all the stories_

 _Dragged and washed with eager hands_

Optimus shivered and arched his back, lifting his arms. He tested the strength of the bounds. Megatron watched with amusement, snapped his digits for another High Grade cube. He was enjoying the show. Starscream brought him the cube, and was given the empty cube roughly, making the Seeker stumble back down the steps before landing on his back and laying there dazed.

The Prime didn't give the Seeker any attention. He had to get free.

 _But ohh, oh your city lies in dust, my friend_

 _Ohh, oh your city lies in dust, my friend_

 _Your city lies in dust_

Megatron was coaching him. "Try it with your right servo. Try overpowering the bounds. Maybe if you stood up."

He was enjoying watching the Prime attempt to get free, and the High Grade went straight to his helm. He was laughing in a giddy way that made everyone but Shockwave shudder in fear. He threw the now-empty cube down at Starscream, cursing at the Seeker. Then he went back to watching Optimus struggle.

 _Water was running, children were running_

 _We found you hiding, we found you lying_

 _Water was running, children were running_

 _We found you hiding, we found you lying_

"How does it feel, Optimus?" The warlord drawled, standing slowly and working his way down to the mech. "You killed innocent mechs and femmes...you allowed this to happen. How does it feel knowing that?"

 _Your city lies in dust, my friend_

 _Ohh, oh, your city lies in dust, my friend_

Optimus refused to be talked down to, but he couldn't bring his legs forward to kick Megatron where it counted, so he was frozen there, listening.

 _Hot and burning in your nostrils_

 _Pouring down your gaping mouth_

 _Your molten bodies, blanket of cinders_

 _Caught in the throes_

"You are a murderer, no better than I..."

"That is a lie," Optimus snarled. The words slipped out, four innocent little words that resulted in another backservo that made his optics shutter offline for several moments.

"Look, Optimus...is that...Iacon?"

The Prime went rigid.

 _And ohh, oh, your city lies in dust, my friend_

 _Ohh, oh, your city lies in dust, my friend_

 _Ohh, oh, your city lies in dust, my friend_

 _Ohh, oh, your city lies in dust, my friend_

 _Your city lies in dust, my friend_

 _Ohh, oh, your city lies in dust, my friend_

 _Ohh, oh, your city_

Iacon was beautiful, silver, and shining. But now it was dark, soot-crusted. Bots were down below, trying to save others, restore the beauty...and Seekers were flying over it, one of them weighed down with...

...a bomb.

"Your poor city," Megatron whispered into Optimus' audio. The holograms changed, showing the Prime a Seeker's-eye view of what was happening.

Iacon, that strong city Optimus knew as home, was destroyed. It erupted into fire and shrapnel. No one could have survived that, Optimus thought sadly, and the thought was confirmed by one of the Seekers flying around

"No survivors," he reported and the trine circled around back to Megatron's location on his command.

Megatron snapped his digits and Soundwave and Shockwave moved forward to take the Prime away. He stopped them, waved them forward to the viewing window where they could clearly see Iacon burning.

"Watch your home burn, Brother," he hissed into the Prime's audio.


	2. The Humbling River

_Nature, nurture heaven and home_

 _Sum of all, and by them, driven_

 _To conquer every mountain shown_

 _But I've never crossed the river_

Optimus knelt in a cell. His optics were clouded over in grief. He had no fight left. Everything had been absorbed out of him from the explosion in Iacon.

Thousands of bots died, but he was only concerned by the death of a city.

What kind of leader was he?

 _Braved the forests, braved the stone_

 _Braved the icy winds and fire_

 _Braved and beat them on my own_

 _Yet I'm helpless by the river_

He lowered his helm in sadness and in shame, his shoulders dropping and his arms falling limp. The blue energy didn't need to keep him still. Megatron's words and the destruction of the city had made him lose his will to continue, to move, to even function. He opened his optics slowly. Aleta-1 had been in Iacon... He cried out in horror, squirming pitifully in his bounds as he let his cries make it outside his body. Then, he started to whisper:

 _Angel, angel, what have I done?_

 _I've faced the quakes, the wind, the fire_

 _I've conquered country, crown, and throne_

 _Why can't I cross this river?_

He waited for a long time, expecting a spirit to come to him in his hour of need. When none came, he started to sing:

 _Angel, angel, what have I done?_

 _I've faced the quakes, the wind, the fire_

 _I've conquered country, crown, and throne_

 _Why can't I cross this river?_

Slowly, a voice came back, singing as she carried the tune, whispering and sighing. Optimus recognized her voice, but he refused to look at his beloved, fearing what he would see. Instead, he listened.

 _Pay no mind to the battles you've won_

 _It'll take a lot more than rage and muscle_

 _Open your heart and hands, my son_

 _Or you'll never make it over the river_

Soft servos cupped his face and pulled his helm up to see. Aleta-1 smiled down at him. She looked as though she was fine, as if she was alive, but Optimus could see the door through her helm and he sighed, listening to her.

 _It'll take a lot more than words and guns_

 _A whole lot more than riches and muscle_

 _The hands of the many must join as one_

 _And together we'll cross the river_

Together? Aleta was coming with him? His optics brightened and he felt strength poor back into his arms. Aleta backed up, watching her mate.

 _It'll take a lot more than words and guns_

 _A whole lot more than riches and muscle_

 _The hands of the many must join as one_

 _And together we'll cross the river_

Optimus began to sing as he brought his pedes up beneath him and he pulled up, the energy crackling and whirring as it tried to keep Optimus pinned.

 _(Nature, nurture heaven and home)_

 _It'll take a lot more than words and guns_

 _(Sum of all, and by them, driven)_

 _A whole lot more than riches and muscle_

 _(To conquer every mountain shown)_

 _The hands of the many must join as one_

 _And together we'll cross the river_

He continued to sing, Aleta taking over after he sang the first line, and after every line, they'd trade, singing steadily louder and louder until Optimus was sure every Decepticon could hear him.

 _(Braved the forests, braved the stone)_

 _It'll take a lot more than words and guns_

 _(Braved the icy winds and fire)_

 _A whole lot more than riches and muscle_

 _(Braved and beat them on my own)_

 _The hands of the many must join as one_

 _And together we'll cross the river_

The bounds broke. Optimus stretched, rubbed his wrists, and then walked to his mate, who was still singing, her voice dropping to a whisper.

 _And together we'll cross the river_

 _And together we'll cross the river_

Optimus nodded and he pressed his face into her neck, wishing she was warm instead of the ghost she was. He continued the song. He felt servos stroking his helm.

 _Nature, nurture heaven and home_

 _And together we'll cross the river_

 _And together we'll cross the river_

He took her servo and squeezed it, leading her to the door. Aleta put one servo on the door and it blew off its hinges. Optimus continued to sing, Aleta keeping the Decepticons from touching him or even coming within eight feet of him.

 _Nature, nurture heaven and home_

 _And together we'll cross the river_

 _And together we'll cross the river_

He landed on Cybertronian soil heavily, Aleta appearing beside him. She took his servo again, humming their song now. Optimus continued to walk, his Autobots running to him and greeting him as if...as if they had missed him. Iacon burning wasn't his fault...?

He looked back at the Decepticons, who were watching with angry red optics. He saluted them.

"Watch me win my world back, Brother," he growled.


End file.
